ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Snow fell steadily in Albuquerque throughout the entire day, forcing the closure of I-40 eastbound at Louisiana Boulevard just before 5 p.m.

I-40 was closed for more nearly 19 hours from Louisiana Boulevard to the Texas border. Truck drivers who use I-40 to get across the country had to find alternate routes or wait until the road reopens. Morning commuters must use side streets to get to work on Tuesday.

As much as 4 inches of snow piled up in Albuquerque's foothills during the day on Monday.

Albuquerque schools are not in session this week because of the district's annual winter break.

Interstate 25 was shut down on Monday from Las Vegas to Raton because snowpacked and icy roads. That stretch of I-25 spans around 150 miles. Later, that closure expanded as far south as Santa Fe.

New Mexico State Police said there were about 20 accidents a few miles north of the closure in Wagon Mound, N.M.

Cars were lined up for hours at the entrance to I-25, waiting to see when the road will reopen. Many decided to call it a night early Monday and check into Las Vegas hotels.

BERNALILLO, N.M. -- The New Mexico Department of Transportation has every available crew on the highways and major roads right now.

On Interstate 25 outside of Bernalillo, many drivers slipped and slid on the roadway. One car had to be towed off of a bank on the side I-25 near La Bajada hill. Another SUV slid on the ice and crashed near the San Felipe Pueblo.

NMDOT said it's on round-the-clock coverage right now, trying desperately to get a jump start on some of the dangerous stretches of road.

"Oftentimes, people think we're not getting to the secondary roads quick enough. Well that probably means we're having trouble on the interstate, and once we get caught up there, we move to the secondary highways," spokesman Phil Gallegos said.

As the temperature drops, the highway and secondary roads are just going to get worse. Gallegos is advising people to stay home.

GRANTS, N.M. -- Some portions of western New Mexico saw more than a foot of snow on Monday.

With more than 14 inches of snow, plows worked around the clock to keep streets safe in Grants.

Chris Rodarte was one of more than 40 people stuck in the heavy snowfall.

"I got stuck myself trying to get out of the driveway. They had to tow me all the way over here," Rodarte said.

Dispatches with Grants police and Cibola County said they could barely keep up with all calls from drivers who got stuck in the snow.

Tom Ragsdale, the only cab driver in the county, said his phone was ringing off the hook. Many needed rides home or a lift to the nearest hotel.

Authorities asked drivers to slow down and use extra caution to stay safe.

Truck stops were packed in Moriarty as some drivers pulled over to wait for roads to clear. Some drivers said they had no choice but to push on through the snowy weather.

Sedillo Hill saw the most snow. Action 7 News measured around 8 inches of snow in that area.

I-40 over the pass and east through Edgewood, Moriarty and Clines Corners stayed open during the morning and afternoon. However, it closed just after 4 p.m.

"It's bad. It's very bad. We started in Arizona and entered New Mexico, and it's very bad," said truck driver Makhen Singh. "It puts a damper on my load delivery. I was supposed to be there Wednesday morning at 4, and I'm not going to make it."

Meanwhile, some surrounding roads remain open as salt trucks barreled down Tramway, trying to clear a path for last-minute Christmas shoppers and for Northeast Heights residents, like Jeff Lavoto , who are stacking up on food.

"We figured we might as well go today because we don't know what the weather's going to be like tomorrow," Lavoto said.

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Santa Fe residents woke up to an inch or two of snow on their cars and the roads.

Monday was mostly quiet, but snow started falling during the afternoon hours.

Most drivers said the roads were wet and slick but manageable around the city.

Many are traveling to Santa Fe during the week for the holidays and tourists said they're just glad to be in town already because of the slick conditions on I-25.

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